This seems to be a common problem for me on a year to year basis and I can't figure out why. It survives but doesn't thrive.

We are in a drought but I am watering daily. All of my plants are green and grow new leaves and even some flowers. But growth is extremely slow, new leaves are tiny and the green color is light instead of the deep vibrant green of a thriving plant. This is all of them from corn to toms to zukes and there's no sign of disease or pests.

It's been hot this year but I don't think that is the problem because other gardens I see in the area are doing fine. It's in full sun, from just after sunrise to just before sunset. It could be that I am overwatering to try to compensate for the drought but I dunno. Usually I am an underwater-er. There are weeds but nothing too bad.

I just got some balanced liquid fertilizer from our local nursery and poured some of that on there. Any other ideas or advice?

It sounds like there's some nitrogen deficiency definitely. I think if your whole garden is this way and has been for some time you need to start from rock bottom and get a soil ph test. A local nursery can tell you where to get one, may even be able to do it. What I personally would do this late in the season is locate some aged horse manure... lots of it.. and mulch your plant beds deeply. Give them a good 4" to 6" of manure. Liquid fertilizer at this point is going to shock them and cause a lot of rapid soft growth that will bring on pests so be on the lookout for infestations.

It sounds like there's some nitrogen deficiency definitely. I think if your whole garden is this way and has been for some time you need to start from rock bottom and get a soil ph test. A local nursery can tell you where to get one, may even be able to do it. What I personally would do this late in the season is locate some aged horse manure... lots of it.. and mulch your plant beds deeply. Give them a good 4" to 6" of manure. Liquid fertilizer at this point is going to shock them and cause a lot of rapid soft growth that will bring on pests so be on the lookout for infestations.

hmmm ok. I will look for some manure to try to salvage what I have.

I am considering next year just moving the entire thing and doing some boxes in another part of the yard.

If the drainage, light and everything else are good I would try that soil test first. What if it's only a couple cheap and easily amended fixes? I can tell you from personal experience (because we don't have great soil here) that building raised beds and filling them with bagged soil gets pretty darn expensive fast.

If the drainage, light and everything else are good I would try that soil test first. What if it's only a couple cheap and easily amended fixes? I can tell you from personal experience (because we don't have great soil here) that building raised beds and filling them with bagged soil gets pretty darn expensive fast.

Oh I am for sure going to try the soil test. But DH already has quite a bit of random wood hanging around to build with and has been itching to build me some raised beds like that for years.